Special Teams Sink Vipers In Salmon Arm:

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Special Teams Sink Vipers in Salmon Arm
 
Friday, January 4, 2013 - Submitted by Don Klepp

Following a pattern that has plagued the Vipers this season, they surrendered a power play goal and a short handed marker en route to a 4-2 loss in Salmon Arm on Friday.

Penalties proved the Vipers' undoing in the first period. Evan Anderson fitted a wrist shot through a maze of bodies at 17:35, during the third of three straight Viper minors.

In truth, the outcome could have been more lopsided, had the Silverbacks been able to do more with their eight power plays. After the Anderson goal, the Viper penalty killing, led by Colton Sparrow's fearless shot blocking, kept the 'Backs to just three more scoring chances during the remaining five Silverback power plays.

Salmon Arm went ahead 2-0 early in the second period when Jeff Kennedy converted a rebound off a Harlan Orr shot. Then came the real back breaker.

During a Viper power play, Adam Tambellini had his point shot blocked and then did not hustle to chase Mitchell Ferguson, who fed Anthony Croston for a short handed goal at 11:51.

Within 26 seconds, on the same power play, Brendan Persley banged in a goal mouth feed to make the score 3-1, but a Brendan Kennedy point shot deflected past Austin Smith at 16:20.

Danny Todosychuk, who replaced Smith after the fourth Silverback goal, faced just seven shots the rest of the way as the Vipers were the better team over the remaining 23 minutes of the contest.

They got some life when hard working TJ Dumonceaux swept in a rebound of a Logan Mick shot at 12:21 of the third period. Returning from injury, Dumonceaux was one of the better Vipers on the night.

Dumonceaux, Mike Roberts, and Logan Mick caught the eye of Coach Williamson for their determined play. "The kids were good tonight," he said during the post-game show on KISS FM, "but some of our veterans took some selfish, undisciplined penalties and didn't display the passion that we got from our younger players."

In the final analysis, the Vipers outshot the Silverbacks, 32-27, and matched the Salmon Arm scoring chances (13 each). Also, the Vipers were the more physical crew.

Part of that physicality led to a spirited bout between Geoff Crisfield and Bryden Marsh after Crisfield had flattened Marsh's line mate 30 seconds after Salmon Arm's fourth goal.